Shade loving plants for chicken run

[ChickensForEggs2500]

You might try Lady Ferns. They are alive and beautiful in the summer, providing shade and a tasty treat for your birds! They grow naturally around my yard and the ladies love them! Unlike Sword Ferns, they wither and practically disappear during the winter months. In my climate, they prefer to grow in shady, dampish areas. Hope this helps!

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

Hi -- I live in Delco -- Havertown area. If you contact me in early spring (late March early April) I can give you some plants -- various ferns and native shade plants mostly -- like Jack in the pulpit, blood root, mayapples. My rule is that you come with your own pots and soil, and leave with plants in your own soil. I don't give away my pots and compost. I have very high quality plants -- ran a charity plant sale last year and raised a few thousand dollars just from my tiny garden. I always have to give away extras or things get too crowded. With covid, I don't get the same level of out-of-town friends visiting -- many used to visit with the intention of bringing home a trunkload of plants.

Thank you so much! I’d be happy to take any extra plants you may have! I’m happy to share from my garden as well. I have a large vegetable garden that I plant from seed, and perennial, each year.

 

[feliciadawn]

@PhillyDelcoChix -- great just message me when the plants start popping up in Spring. I realized some like plants Mayapples may not be healthy for chickens -- my chickens don't seem to eat plants that aren't good for them. However, if you are worried, I am sure I will have some that aren't toxic -- I have a lot of plants.

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

@PhillyDelcoChix -- great just message me when the plants start popping up in Spring. I realized some like plants Mayapples may not be healthy for chickens -- my chickens don't seem to eat plants that aren't good for them. However, if you are worried, I am sure I will have some that aren't toxic -- I have a lot of plants.

Thank you so much! Will do! I’m in Springfield by the way, forgot to mention that. Happy to meet someone local here!

 

[Noreaster Egger]

Clumping bamboo may be an option. You just may need to protect the new shoots for a bit in the spring until they get tall enough to not be destroyed. When they’re young they’re soft and easy for the birds to chew up. The clumping won’t get invasive like the running bamboo and most of the fargesia ones prefer shade. You’d probably want to start with taller plants or else the birds will be able to eat all of the low leaves. I have the running type up here in zone 5A and the birds love to eat the low hanging leaves and sit under the shade in the warm season.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Keep in mind that chickens that are contained in a run are much more likely to eat something they shouldn’t compared to free range. So I wouldn’t plant anything potentially poisonous where they can get to it.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Maybe mobile planted trays....
Grazing frames come to mind but full shade is hard for plants to grow in.

How big is the run?
Any areas that get partial shade?

Pics could really help.

Agreed. I have quail and the plants have to be rotated out nearly daily since they seem to think these are hors d'oeuvres.

 

[PhillyDelcoChix]

Hi -- I live in Delco -- Havertown area. If you contact me in early spring (late March early April) I can give you some plants -- various ferns and native shade plants mostly -- like Jack in the pulpit, blood root, mayapples. My rule is that you come with your own pots and soil, and leave with plants in your own soil. I don't give away my pots and compost. I have very high quality plants -- ran a charity plant sale last year and raised a few thousand dollars just from my tiny garden. I always have to give away extras or things get too crowded. With covid, I don't get the same level of out-of-town friends visiting -- many used to visit with the intention of bringing home a trunkload of plants.

Hello,
I’m checking in to see if any plants are available for me? I’m so grateful for your offer

 

[feliciadawn]

I’m checking in to see if any plants are available for me? I’m so grateful for your offer

Depends on what you want. PM me and I will send my phone number-- then we can talk and I can go over what I have, etc.

 

[JD7764]

Our run is approx 16’x18’ x 8’.
It’s almost all shade all day except in late afternoon

I’d love to know what you ended up doing as my runs situation sounds very similar and I’d like to plant some things